And How are Your Joints Doing?

So a coworker with whom I practice my espagniol and I have made a promise that the next time we meet, we will not sound like little old ladies complaining about their lumbago. Seriously, we're too young to spend our Monday mornings griping about my hip, her knees...when did this happen?!?

Therefor, no more. Although it did give me lots of practice in using "cadera" and "tendon de la um patela." I'll just have to practice those descriptions with my supervisor. Who is even younger. And does not understand this whole thing about adults riding bicycles or anyone doing "sport" not-professionally (i.e. my 6 years of NCAA amateur (non-paying) college fencing level stint in my 20s). But Spanish is Spanish, and lords know, the longer I am away from my family and friends in Mexico, the more my second-language speaking ability suffers. I still understand everything everyone tells me, but switching into thinking in Spanish actually becomes something conscious, and hard to do!

And people wonder why I spend the big bucks on poorly printed low quality mass media books written (or translated, I'm not that picky) into Spanish.

In other news? Well, I have some good news.

My knee is officially off the torn-patella-watch-2009 list. The swelling is almost gone and I have full mobility with no cramping, spasms, tickles or pain--except when going down the stairs, but that's another issue. Although my scar is hurting...the little moon-shaped sliver that is all I have to prove that I even had a bike accident? (Aside from the hip "bump.")

It's not the stabbing pain as described by JKR in the HP books, but the sensation is a little electrical in nature. And I can definitely feel it as it scrapes against denim, if I wear jeans. Which I don't do all that often thanks to work clothes and, well, my hip bump. That lovely lady lump? Yeah, it complains if constricted. So unless I wear my over-sized (yey for the weight loss that has stayed lost) too baggy to look anything less than grandma-ish jeans, I don't even feel the scar.

But the hip...or rather, my leg...I feel like it's floating in and out of where it's supposed to be. If I walk too far, it still swells up. Ice and OTC ibuprofen are my friends. But I've gotten to the point where I don't want anymore profens of any kind in my system. How will I cope with a migraine or even menstrual cramps if my body is so used to having the stuff in its system that I either have to take more (good-bye stomach lining, hello ulcer) or have to get something stronger (so long, liver, nice to know you)...neither of which sound all that appealing.

So...I'm dropping it and experimenting with fish oil instead.

I've been taking my fish oil capsule every morning with my coffee...I know, I am horrible, dare I add that I also only take chewable multi-vitamins (this explains the Flintstones vitamins in the fridge). Recently in one of those BoingBoing links I read that if you take fish oil before bed, it would help you sleep better. So I take another capsule before bed now, when I remember. Now I've been reading about the anti-inflammatory properties of Omega3 fish oils...and reading the dosage suggestions on the bottle...it seems I've been remiss, it actually suggests three a day (one with every meal, which reduces that whole fishy-burp thing, but only a little).

Well...I'm all for better living through chemistry, I will never again turn down a muscle relaxer ("Try four!"*) if the need should be as great as it was a couple weeks ago, but if I can achieve, um, "swell-control" with fish oil? Dude, I am so there.

So if you've read this far, I reward you with a picture of the space needle taking flight, or maybe it was landing...either way, it amused me (you might have to click for big to get a good look):

* Sixteen Candles reference...after having experienced what taking one is like? The entire wedding sequence is ridiculously accurate.